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fcpx: the video properties of this clip are not recognized.

The original footage is 300fps hi-speed video, shot with Casio Exilim EX-F1. Resolution 512x384, framerate 29.97

When I imported the footage into FCPX, I marked "Transcoding: Create optimized media". So I did.


Now I start a new project, drag the clip into the timeline and I get the message "The video properties of this clip are not recognized." andI can choose to import the clip as 640x480. But I don't want that, and why have I just transcoded into pro-res if FCPX itself cannot recognize the clip afterwards? What am I missing here?


For the record: I also bought Compressor4 and Motion5 so if they are needed for my solution, no problem. I tried importing the clip first into Compressor4 but couln't find a way to export into a FCPX-project.


Short note about myself: long time Premiere user, recently switched to Apple + FCPX.

MacBook Pro (15-inch Early 2011), Mac OS X (10.6.8)

Posted on Feb 11, 2012 2:54 PM

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15 replies

Feb 11, 2012 3:30 PM in response to Tom Wolsky

Thanks for the quick response Tom!


The video is mute, so no audio problems here.

Media down from 300fps to 29.97 is actually the way the movies are supposed to be played: the record at 300 but play at 29.97.


BTW the camera also offers different speeds, 600fps at a resolution of 432 x 192 and 1200fps at 336 x 96. Eventually all of these formats will be used in my FCPX-projects (with or without Motion5 and Compressor4, depending on what's the necessary way to handle these videos).


I have no clue if the quality of my videos will be affected when choosing 640x480, while the native resolution is 512x383 (or 432x192, 336x96). I don't mind taking an extra step "preparing my videos for FCPX" but I do mind when the not-so-very-good quality of my videos gets even more distortion because FCPX doesn't understand their resolution.


Thanks again for thinking along.

Jerome

Feb 11, 2012 5:08 PM in response to Tom Wolsky

Thanks Tom for getting back at this.

Maybe I don't understand the question; QT player plays both.


Original: H.264, 512x384, 29.97, 1500.58kbs

Transcoded: Apple Pro Res 422, 512x384, 34.81Mbs


I have edited this media before, ignoring the 640x480-issue. It loads and I can edit, but it seems wrong to me that it's not in native resolution.


Example on Vimeo (and I made a mistake in framerate, I edited in 25fps instead of 29.97fps)

http://vimeo.com/36153846


Maybe I haven't put clearly what my problem is: can I edit my 512x384-movie in its native resolution? If not what is the best way to deal with it?

Feb 12, 2012 2:41 AM in response to Tom Wolsky

What do you mean by: 'cut the whole program into that one clip's timeline'?


It is not possible to select all clips in the event library and then control-click to open them in the timeline (that option is greyed out) so I'm afraid that all I can do to edit a story with my clips is accept that they will be processed in 640x480.


Even if I would manage to get all clips at native resolution in the timeline, I'm already fearing the next issue: how to render them at native resolution or doesn't allow FCPX me to do that either? Maybe Compressor4 can be of any help?


Thanks Tom for your time. I'm a bit disappointed that FCPX seems to be so limited in its flexibility.

Feb 12, 2012 3:53 AM in response to vjstalker

I can't show you screenshots because I don't have access to FCP at the moment. Take the first clip you want to be in the project. Open it into the timeline using the Open in Timeline function. You can now blade this clip however you like. Cut the beginning, cut the end. Slice it however you want it. The audio will be separate from the video. You can collape it into a compound clip if you want. This only happens with the first clip. Leave the timeline open. In the event event browser, find the second shot you want. Mark In and Out points. Press the E key to append it to timeline. You want to insert a a different shot in the beginning. Move the playhead in the timeline back to the beginning. Find the shot you want in the browser. Mark in and out points. Press the W key to insert the shot. You want to add transitions. Select the clips in the timeline and press Cmd-T. You want to add a timeline. Put the playhead in the timeline wherever you want. Double click the title to put it into the timeline. Add more shots into the timeline. Do you see what's happening? You are editing your program into that first clip's timeline. The dimensions of that first clip remain intact in that timeline. When you export you're exporting that clip's timeline. As I said, it's not ideal, but it's a workaround. Basically FCP only works with standard video formats.

Feb 12, 2012 5:04 AM in response to vjstalker

This is a comment from the cheap seats. (Tom Wolsky is the expert here.)


If I had a legitimate reason for wanting to edit in the original dimensions, like ,say, to put it on a website where I was hosting the video and wanted it in an odd size to fit the web page, then I would edit in QuickTIme Pro 7. You can have any pixel dimensions you want. This also works if you only want to view it yourself on your Mac in QuickTime Player.


If I wanted to show the video anywhere else, (television, DVD, BluRay, YouTube, Apple TV, iPad) I would use the video clips in a 640x480 timeline and letterbox so I kept all original pixels in place, and added black space on the edges.


Now I will sit back and let Tom explain why I missed the point.

Feb 14, 2012 10:25 AM in response to Tom Wolsky

Tom's method seems to work, but I've encountered a major problem: the project doesn't save.

In the past days I've been cutting clips, and when I wanted to sleep the computer also slept. Until yesterday I never quit FCPX, but then I did... All work gone. To be sure it wasn't some errant crash I've 'redone' my project, then quit the project to view another project, and back to the original project, which was empty.


Conclusion: Tom offers a valid solution to work with non-standard resolutions whcih works as long as you don't quit the project or shut down FCPX.


Unfortunately I haven't made it to the end, so no news on the rendering part yet...

Feb 14, 2012 11:39 AM in response to vjstalker

I'm just following along here, trying to learn a bit.


@Tom: this makes sense. But it's just going to the event, right? There is no project file created this way? That would explain why nothing is saved after qutting.


@vj: So it follows that you should either export your work at the end of each session, or possibly create a compound clip to save the work. Anyhow, that's what I'm getting from this thread.

fcpx: the video properties of this clip are not recognized.

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